Socket structure for hand tools



Nov. 21, 1933.

w A. READY SOCKET STRUCTURE FOR HAND TOOLS Filed April 28, 1932 Patented Nov. 21, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Ames Baldwin Wyoming 00., Parkersburg,

W. Va., a corporation of Delaware Application April .28, 1932. Serial No. 608,030

1 Claim.

My invention aims to provide improvements in hand tools and is directed particularly to the socket structure on the tool part for attachment to the handle.

6 Referring to the drawing which illustrates a preferred embodiment of my invention:'

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a shovel, a portion of the handle being broken away;

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of a portion of the 10 socket on the shovel blade and a portion of a handle; and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged section taken on theline 3-3 of Fig. 2 to show my improved socket structure.

Referring now to the specific embodiment of my invention illustrated in the accompanying drawing, I have shown a socket structure which is simple and which is a decided improvement over the ordinary split type of socket used in connection with a wooden tool handle attached thereto by a rivet. It is an object of my invention to remove the breaking point of the handle from adjacent to the rivet in the ordinary construction to a point a substantial distance therefrom, thereby providing a much stronger attachment.

In the drawing I have shown my improved socket structure as of the type usually constructed in connection with a so-called hollow back shovel 1, as illustrated in Figure 1. The socket which I prefer to employ in connection .with my improved device comprises a yieldable-portion 2 extending directly from, the shovel blade 1 and a rigid band portion 3 above and integral with the yieldable portion 2. In the usual construction of the hollow back shovel socket there is a seam 4 running lengthwise of the socket andthis same seam is provided in my preferred construction. While my improved socket construction may be formed in any suitable manner, I prefer to secure the additional length for the rigid portion- 3 by rolling the metal thinner (Fig. 3) so that substantially no more metal is required to add the rigid portion than is normally used in the construction of a hollow back shovel socket. After the socket isproperly cut, rolled and shaped the upper portion of the seam 4 is welded along the dotted line shown in Fig. 2, thereby providing a continuous band for the rigid portion 3, the purpose of which will be hereinafter described. Just below the portion 3 circumferential notches 5- -5 are provided in the socket extending from the seam 4 thereby to increase the resiliency of the yieldable portion 2 of the socket.

The wooden handle 6 is entered into the socket point within the socket.

and secured in place by one or more rivets '7 passing through the yieldable portion 2, thereby. clamping it tightly against the handle. By clamping the yieldable portion 2 of the socket tightly against the handle 6, the fibers adjacent to the hole 8 through the Wooden handle (Fig. 3) are more or less compressed, thereby rendering it more dinicult for the handle to fracture adjacent to the rivet.

It has been found from actual practice and from extensive tests that in the usual rivet attached structure the handle would break adjacent to the rivet hole because of the weakened condition of the handle. I have also ascertained by tests that in my improved structure the point of fracture is removed from adjacent to the rivet to the upper end of the band 3. This is due partly to the compacting of the fibers adjacent to the rivet hole and partly to the continuous band portion 3' which tightly embraces the handle 6 7 and reinforces it to such an extent that the handle above the socket is weaker than at any My improved structure, as illustrated in the drawing, is formed entirely from a single piece of metal and its use greatly strengthens the connection between the handle and the socket with only'a slight increase in the cost of manufacture. The notches 5 -5, or slits which would give the equivalent result, are desirable because they increase the flexibility of the yieldable portion 2 of the socket so that the rivet or rivets may more readily tightly compress that portion of the socket around the handle 6.

While I have illustrated and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, I do not wish to be limited thereby, because the .scope of my invention is best defined by the following claim.

I claim:

A shovel or like hand tool comprising a working portion having a generally tubular socket extending therefrom, the outer end of the socket forming an unbroken ring and the inner portion being longitudinally split and presenting'at either side of the split lip-like portions longitudinally separated from the ring and with opposed edges, a handle tightly compressed within said socket and means constricting the inner portionof the socket about the handle.

. WILLIAM A. READY. 

